The Primetime Emmy nominees were announced this week! For a full list of the lucky & talented peeps visit the Emmy website.

When I realized awards season was gonna be affected by this writer’s strike I had a mild heart attack. I love turning television and movies into a competition. I spend most of my time being moved by, frustrated with, sucked into, transported to, falling in love with and hating these alternate realities that are created for us and they should be judged. I especially love to critique my fellow actors. I worked hard to get into the Screen Actors Guild (and by hard I mean spent 3 days as a body double on the series Boomtown) and I take my role as voter seriously. One year I was even on the nominating committee…it was one of the best years of my life.

Yippee kay ya, everyone got dressed up, hit the red carpet and announced the best actors without any picket line chaos. The Sopranos swept their categories: best dramatic actor, actress and ensemble. I have no opinion on this. I’ve never seen an episode. I know, I know…I’ll get it on DVD one of these days…stop yelling at me. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin won for 30 Rock, which I strongly agree with!!! However, The Office won for comedic ensemble. I would have been happier if 30 Rock had taken ensemble but I do like The Office, so I’m okay with that. Javier Bardem won for his role as the creepy, psychopathic killer in No Country for Old Men, which also won for best cast in a movie. A full list of winners is here.

The highlight of the evening for me was Daniel Day-Lewis’ acceptance speech. He said, for as long as he could remember, the thing that gave him a sense of wonderment and renewal was the work of other actors. Those words spoke to my heart. DDL mentioned, for him in particular, being affected and motivated by the work of Heath Ledger, even bringing up specific examples of Heath’s onscreen moments that touched him. I can’t imagine a greater tribute than that. It’s a shame Heath didn’t get to hear it.

Let’s all cross our fingers for a kick-ass Oscar telecast!